Interesting Information

Interesting Fact: Buttercups

Buttercups are small yellow flowers, with 5 shiny petals, associated with grassland on spring and summer days. There are two types of buttercup which you are most likely to see; those growing flat in a garden or in park lawns are usually Creeping Buttercup, while those that grow upright to a height of 90 cms can be found in long grass meadows are usually the Meadow Buttercup. The flowers of both buttercups can be used in a game to see if your friends like butter. Hold a flower under their chin, if you can see the yellow reflected on their skin, they are supposed to like butter. There are many types of buttercups; some live in water (aquatic plants) such as the Water Crowfoot, so-called because the leaf resembles the shape of a crow's foot. 

A long time ago people believed that digging up their roots, mixed up with salt, would cure the plague that ravished London in 1600s, while hanging the flowers around their necks would cure lunacy.

It was also thought that rubbing the meadow flowers on cow's udders would ensure a good yield of milk, but was not a proven fact. Cattle in the fields where those flowers can be found have more sense than people. Cows know not to eat the plant because the roots contain an unpleasant chemical that preserves the buttercup.

Do you know how many yellow petals are on each flower?

People who want to grow a perfect grass lawn think of Creeping Buttercup as a 'weed' because it spreads so easily. But, wildflowers amongst the grass can be good for wildlife, providing nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies.